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2020 has been a year consumed by COVID-19, from first news of the virus in the U.S. in January to vaccines rolling out in December. Scientists, health care providers and the public have gained new knowledge and understanding of infectious diseases and virus transmission, and COVID-19 vaccines were developed in record time.
On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, looks back at what has been learned in 2020, and forward to the possibility of controlling COVID-19 in 2021.
To practice safe social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, this interview was conducted using video conferencing. The sound and video quality are representative of the technology used. For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.
Connect with others talking about the pandemic and supporting one another in the COVID-19 support group.
Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.
For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.
Dr. Poland has served as a consultant for Merck & Co. Inc., Medicago Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Sanofi Pasteur, Emergent BioSolutions Inc., Dynavax Technologies Corp., Genentech Inc., Eli Lilly and Co., Kentucky BioProcessing Inc. and Genevant Sciences Corp., and Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. He is a paid scientific adviser for Johnson & Johnson. Honoraria: Elsevier.
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@desertguy Stories like yours which may have been caused by the flu shot scare hundreds of other folks into not doing the right thing. For this very same reason, some of my great-grandchildren have not had the basic vaccinations for childhood diseases. However, their puppies have had all of their shots. My generation has tried to reason with the parents but they read about it on social media so it must be true. I would like to see statistics that show the percentage of reactions to flu shots each year. There is one statistic that can not be ignored. Over 350,000 dead and over 20 million cases in the USA alone in the first year. Scientists and labs rushed to come up with vaccines that are 95% effective and people are afraid to get it based on isolated cases they read or heard about.
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4 ReactionsMy post was made in an effort to get information from other Mayo patients who may have had my experience not to scare anyone.
One of the responses pointed out how different the flu shot is from covid19.
I just taked to my neurolgist and will follow his advice. "At 84 you need to take the injection"
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5 ReactionsThank you for the follow-up. I am pretty sure all health care professionals recommend getting it. The consequences of not are unthinkable! The same with taking recommended precautions. Protect yourself and those around you,
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2 ReactionsMerry, I understand where you are coming from. I'm not doubting that they may have this vacine may be effective! My only concern is with Dr. Fauci , he keeps moving the goal post all the time! (Which happened last week with the Herd Immunity.) His orginal statement that we didn't need masks, and many others! To his defense there is constant presure from the media to make a comment or some kind of update!
I feel his comment that this vacine will be 90% -95% effective is shooting from the hip! No one can acturately istate it's outcome until it has been out for a resonable amount of time!
My Personel Comment, is we are looking for that "Silver Bullet! We have to just give it time!
I think the one constant are we know who is the most vurnable, people over 65 years of age, people with Obesity, people with Diabetes, and people whom have heart trouble!
Dr. Fauci did an interview on "Front Line" on PBS a few months ago where he said the more we move into the virus the less we know about it!
It's all a Debatable Subject right now! We all need to do what we feel is right for each of us! Plus not infecting others at the same time!
Time will Tell!
Thank You for your information!
From, The Land of Enchantment!
Sundance(RB)
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2 Reactions@sundance6- Oh dear, poor Dr. Fauci. I must say that at the beginning he did seem to waver quite a bit but he had the president breathing down his neck. This virus has changed so quickly and we have learned so much in such a short time. But that also leads to having to contradict ourselves, change our answers. Thank goodness you have Connect to depend on for up-to-date-changing information! In all the research that I do, for myself and my family and here I always look at several resources. I think that is the best way to go about it.
I think that we have to give Dr. Fauci credit. He continues to tell the truth to the American public despite what his boss wants. And Dr. Poland has also changed what he has said. Dr. Poland is certainly easier to listen to, but as I said, checking more than one resource is important.
I'm glad that you spoke with your doctor and have settled on getting the vaccine. I hope that my appointment will give me the same answer tomorrow.
Be safe.
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2 ReactionsHello Everyone!!! I HAVE A COVID-19 VACCINE APPOINTMENT TOMORROW AT 11:30 AT MAYO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just, 10 minutes ago, I got an email to ck my patient portal.....LOVE THAT PORTAL!...and had a message from a doctor I've never met. He sent me a message re the vaccine, instructions on making appt, more information that is quite helpful and urged me to get appt as soon as possible. SO, the good little girl I am, I followed his instructions and am going to Mayo tomorrow for my vaccine! Can you tell I'm thrilled?????
Yep! Wanted you all to know since we've been discussing and working together to get information and stay positive. Well, I can breath. I didn't realize how concerned I am about this until this moment....I know I needed information as do we all, but my shoulders just went down a foot! I took a free and easy breath! I'm smiling! There is hope for every one of us.
Once again, I am so thankful to Mayo, to God for getting me to the Mayo Clinic and the unbelieveable help they have and are giving me. I think I told you before, I feel alive again for the first time in many years. I am healthier in every way. Knowledge, trust, kindness, Hope. Hope is the answer. We must not, can not lose hope or the negatives in our body will take over. THEY WILL NOT WIN!
I read a book when I was first diagnosed at age 40 with sarcoid at Mayo Clinc the first year it was in Jacksonville. I was extremely sick, had a son to raise by myself and had no idea what my future held or if there was one. Yes, this book was on cancer survival by a well known NY cancer doctor.....I'll get specifics later...he taught me how to be a 'bad patient'! I learned that I am in control of my body. No one else. I make the decisions about my health, my care, my body. No one else. I have the right and responsibility to say 'NO' at any time, to any one. Even to a doctor!
I learned well and am doing well. Thank you all for being here. This Connect is truly a life-saver. You and the groups and folks I've met have given me more HOPE. I can share. I can listen. I may be able to help. What a gift, another gift from Mayo.
Blessings to all. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow. Elizabeth
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2 ReactionsThat's great news.......I wonder what might be the age requirement at Mayo.
Thank you.
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1 ReactionI don't know. But, I live in Florida and go to the Mayo Clinic Florida. Fl Gov. DeSantis recently signed an executive order to offer the covid 19 vaccine to folks over 65. I'm 73, so this doesn't apply to me, but it may apply to the different Mayo Clinics. That I don't know. I'm thrilled to be going tomorrow. ......if you live in Florida and are a Mayo patient, you may receive an email on your patient portal offering you the vaccine. Wish you well on your journey. Blessings. Elizabeth
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2 ReactionsWe live in California and haven't a clue when shot will be available. Local physicians who do not visit hospitals don't know either.
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3 ReactionsElizabeth, You just lost me. You said your governor signed an order for vaccines for those over 65, and your 73? I'm having a Brain Fog night! I have a dear friend who lives in Ocala and goes to the Mayo in Jacksonville! TO SAY THEY SAVED HIS LIFE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!
He has had and still does have cancer in his lower body! Around his mid section. They have removed several organs in his midsection and he is still going stonger than I! This has been going on for several years.
I live in Albuquerque so I'm only an hour flight away from Phoenix. It's just hard to describe what is going on with me! Working at getting some answers from doctors here. Also, have and am doing a lot of research into my symptoms!
Hang in there and get your shot!
Good Thoughts,
From The Land of Enchantment!
Sundance(RB)
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